Yesterday the Memphis Daily News posted an article with tons of info about Aldo’s Pizza Pies, the new restaurant to open in the first floor of Barboro Flats on the Main Street Mall. It will be part of the Bardog/Slider Inn family of restaurants, and will serve New York-style pizza similar to what owner Aldo grew up with. Here’s a quick summary of the high points:
– 10 to 12 specialty pizza pies, or build your own
– 30 beers on draft. This wasn’t in the article but I hear 29 of them will be premium or import beers. Not a lot of taps wasted on crap like Coors Light. Bar area will seat 20.
– Aldo wants it to be kid-friendly. By state law that means it has to be nonsmoking. YESSSS!!!!! I’m assuming smoking will be allowed on the patios.
– Italian wines and cocktails, but in keeping with the family-friendliness of the place, no shots
– They’re planning a happy hour that will appeal to the ladies. They think the open glass front and eventually, patios that will seat 70 will be a big draw, as well as “deeply discounted” happy hour drinks for females. Very happy to see Aldo working on this. I was in Bardog yesterday for happy hour, and while I love that bar, the male/female ratio was downright depressing. Aldo understands that a different kind of environment appeals to women. Hopefully many of the ladies who come by for happy hour will be in tube tops.
– $5 slice and drink special for lunch
– 11-11 Sunday-Wednesday, 11-midnight Thursday-Saturday. So, not open as late as Bardog, but late enough to be a frequent Paul’s Drunkass Food stop on the weekdays.
– Visible dough room. In an earlier post today I commented how much I used to love to watch people at Shakey’s make pizzas when I was a kid
– Family-friendly jukebox equipped with all the good Italian singers
Very very excited about this place. You never know until the place opens, and until the one element develops that they can’t control – the regular crowd. But I have a sense this place may join the Flying Saucer and Blind Bear in my top echelon of places to hang out.
By the way, anyone else think Aldo’s could put a dent in the Saucer’s business? There’s enough similarity in the bar areas that I wonder if that will happen. On the other hand, I think the pizza place’s immediate bar neighbors Local and the Blind Bear will see sales go up once it opens.
I’ve had a couple of people in the service industry ask if I think they should apply for a job there. If they haven’t already filled the positions, my answer is yes. From what I’ve seen, the Bardog/Slider/Aldo’s family of restaurants and the Majestic are the best places to work in that industry Downtown. You really get treated like you’re part of a family.
Opening date is scheduled for mid-July. Cannot wait to get my hands on my first slice there.